North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine October 2016 | Page 47

the waters. Most of the fishing is by bait
anglers or those using one form or another
of their favorite lure. For a small number of
us, we have discovered a great opportunity;
a place to have some fun chasing fish with
our fly rods, both single hand and two hand
rods.
Even if we do have a steelhead season, I
would run up to Rufus Woods to chase after
the trout there. It is a nice break to get away
from the many steelhead anglers that would
flock to the Methow River. Most of the time,
I would just ply the waters on foot working
the shoreline. If you are willing to put in a
little effort and burn a little shoe leather,
you can fish for the day and not see another
person, save for the occasional boat that
would be heading up or down reservoir. If
you know what type of water to look for, you
should have no problem finding fish.

“Most anglers know of this fishery
for its triploid rainbow trout. They
do nothing but eat and grow.”

Even though Rufus Woods is a reservoir,
it still has a current, making it ideal for
swinging flies. I have found the upper area
of the reservoir better suited for this. From
shore on both sides, you can find the seam
water that holds trout. The plus side of the
upper area of Rufus Woods is that you have
a better chance to hook into a Redband and
not the triploids that inhabit the mid to lower
part of the reservoir. That’s not to say you
won’t get into one of these “Franken fish”
as I call them. If you do, they will give you a

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